“Whiles Ah’ve got m’ ban’ in th’ barber business all yo’ boys come along t’ dis ha’r-dressin’ parloh—lates’ style cuts!”
“Ouch! that was my ear. Darn your latest style cuts!” cried Billy impatiently.
“Wuz dat yo’ eah, Chile? Shore ’nuff-dey seems to grow jus’ lak yo’ ha’r! Ah disremembered dey wuz so big, an’ dat ho’come Ah teched ’em wif d’ shears!”
A laugh followed this joke on Billy and that young man departed to dress in a ruffled frame of mind.
The next morning about nine o’clock Paul discovered the Captain and Billy coming toward the Island in the chugging boat. He called to the other boys and they all ran down to Treasure Cove to meet the two sailors.
On the launch stood Billy grinning his widest and holding aloft a porcupine. As he came within hearing he shouted: “Oh, it’s a cinch to catch porcupines! Never got anything so dead easy! Uncle Tom shot one, too,” grandly.
After coming ashore, the Captain handed Fred a letter which bore the Boston post-mark and began “How Kolah Wita-tonkan.”
The others stood at hand to hear any possible news from Mrs. Remington, and Fred hastily perused the pages.
“Well! I’ll be bliffed! Mother writes that she met Mrs. Baker and Mrs. Hubert in Boston and they are all going to take a motor trip from their camp up through Maine.”
“Are they coming here?” queried Billy, eagerly.